Prime rib is technically a roast, not a steak.
That is, unless you slice the ribs into steaks before
cooking, in which case it becomes a rib eye steak.

To buy prime rib from the
butcher, ask for the dry-aged prime rib and specify that
you want the meat to be “prime” (not "choice") and have a lot of
marbling. The more marbling, the more flavorful it will
be.

A full prime rib is cut from the 6th through 12th ribs of
the cow, so seven ribs in total.

In addition to full prime rib, you can get
a loin-end rib roast, which is also
known as "first cut." It's a smaller cut with less fat and is a
leaner, more expensive purchase. There's also the
chuck-end rib roast or "second cut" which is
cheaper, bigger, and has more layers of fat.

Leave the fat cap on your
prime rib.Shutterstock

Also, ask the
butcher to leave the fat cap on the prime rib. It’s a
layer of fat on top of the meat that protects it while cooking
and adds tremendous flavor.

Cook your prime rib on the bones without
the meat touching the pan. BLT Steak's
Corporate Executive Chef Cliff
Crooks says to keep the preparation simple with salt
and pepper on the outside and roast it slow and evenly at 325
degrees for 30 minutes before testing the internal temperature.
Once done, let it sit for 20 minutes to retain its
juices.

To see if your prime rib is done, test
with a meat thermometer. Rare will be 115 degrees,
medium-rare is 120 degrees, and medium is 130 degrees.

Prime rib is called a “standing”
roast because of the way you cook it.

Both the teams at Old Homestead Steakhouse and
BLT Steak say to order your prime rib
medium-rare.“It retains all of
the juices, making it more rich and flavorful,” Old
Homestead Steakhouse co-owner Greg Sherry explained.
Get it with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and never, ever order
it well-done.

Prime rib isn’t at most steakhouses because it’s too expensive.
Restaurants around the country
have quietly eliminated prime rib from their menus because of
rising wholesale beef prices. Because restaurants prepare the
entire seven-rib roast, anything not served is lost
revenue.

However, many classic
steakhouses like Old Homestead Steakhouse still serve prime
rib.